1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheeled vehicle, in particular to an earth-moving vehicle or an excavating vehicle, which is provided with a chassis, an axle that oscillates with respect to the chassis about a longitudinal axis, and a pair of hydraulic cylinders controlled for blocking oscillation of the axle in some operating conditions of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
In known vehicles of the type just described, the two cylinders are coupled to the chassis on side parts set opposite to one another with respect to the longitudinal axis, extend in a direction transverse to the axle, and comprise respective liners, each of which is connected to the chassis by means of a corresponding fixing device.
This fixing device comprises a plate welded to the liner of the cylinder and set resting on a side surface of the chassis and a plurality of screws, each of which extends through the plate and is screwed into the chassis.
In use, the axle exerts on the cylinders a vertical thrust load that is transferred from the plate to the chassis. In optimal conditions, the pull with which the screws are screwed is such that the thrust load is transferred onto the chassis exclusively through the friction present between the side surfaces of the plate and the chassis, which are coupled together by resting against one another, without exerting shear stress on the screws.
When instead the pull with which the screws are screwed slackens off with passage of time and use of the vehicle, the plate tends to transfer the aforesaid thrust load, no longer directly onto the chassis, but onto the side surface of the screws, thus subjecting the screws themselves to shear stresses, which reduce the life of the screws.
The purpose of the preferred embodiment is to provide a wheeled vehicle equipped with a chassis, an axle that oscillates with respect to the chassis, and a pair of cylinders for blocking the axle, which will enable the problem set forth above to be solved in a simple and economically advantageous way.
According to the present invention, a wheeled vehicle includes a chassis; an axle coupled to the chassis to oscillate about a longitudinal axis parallel to a direction of advance of the vehicle; a pair of cylinders disposed between the axle and the chassis for blocking oscillation of the axle; and a fixing assembly for fixing the cylinders to the chassis, the fixing assembly comprising a plate, a plurality of connection screws extending through the plate, at least one annular rest portion affixed in cantilever fashion to one of the chassis and the plate, the annular rest portion surrounding a corresponding one of the plurality of connection screws and defining a shoulder that supports the plate in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the connection screw.
Preferably, the annular rest portion defines a cylindrical shoulder, which is coaxial to the connection screw, forms part of a bushing fixedly connected to the chassis, and engages a cylindrical seat made in the plate and having a diameter rounding off upwards that of the cylindrical shoulder.